On July 11, 1995, a Schweizer G-164B (registration N6623Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Kenmare, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during initial climb, which resulted in a collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft engaged in aerial application work descended into terrain during initial climb, resulting in a post-accident fire that destroyed the plane and killed the pilot.
What happened
The pilot was operating an aircraft for an aerial application mission, carrying a hopper full of herbicide. During the initial phase of flight after departure, the airplane began to descend unexpectedly into the surrounding terrain. The impact with the ground resulted in a post-accident fire that completely destroyed the aircraft.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the wreckage was conducted to determine the condition of the airframe and systems prior to the collision. This inspection failed to reveal any preexisting mechanical anomalies or defects that could have contributed to the accident.
Findings
The pilot did not recall the events that occurred after the airplane started settling toward the ground. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident sequence, leaving the specific cause of the descent unobserved by others on the ground.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during initial climb, which resulted in a collision with terrain.